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Self-Instructor 



— 4ITO THEH— 



lndepender)fe 



Tail©? System. 



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O* WASHING 



Introductory. 

The Tailor System of cutting has, from its long use and in- 
fallible results, gamed a reputation that will never be lost nor 
usurped by another, and the knowledge of this System commends 
any dressmaker to the confidence of her customers. Indeed per- 
sons have been known to succeed, at least, in gaining an abun- 
dance of patronage, who possessed no other qualifications save a 
knowledge of the Tailor System. While we would not raise oie 
dissenting voice against this faithful, old and ever new method 
of cutting, we desire to convince the public that there are sys- 
tems constructed on the principle of cutting from exact measure- 
ment that are just as commendable and have the merit of re- 
quiring less time and labor. We claim for the System we here 
introduce, as good results as those attained by the Tailor 
System. We can prove our claim. It has been the aim of the 
inventor to construct the plan and. the application of it, with as 
much simplicity as possible, in order to make it easy and compre- 
hensive to new beginners. The lessons contained in this work, 
if carefully and thoroughly studied, will enable the most un- 
sophisticated, in the art of dressmaking, to succeed. A good 
plain sewer with no other requirements in the art can, with clo?e 
application, take this system, and "if they possess any natural abil- 
ity,'" in a short time become a good dressmaker* There isoneprinci- 
ple applied to all sizes, and after drafting two or three waists, 
cannot be forgotten. The method of taking the measure with 
the combination line is infallible (mistakes in taking the 
measures is the only reason occasioning any changes in a gar- 



ment), those as who have had experience will appreciate how 
difficult it is to take the measures with the single line and get 
them perfect, especially over an ill-fitting garment; but when the 
measures are properly taken there is positively no changes re- 
quired, no trimming out at the neck or arm-holes, in short, none 
of the trouble and worry usually attending refitting. The saving of 
time and labor is not the only advantages .connected with this 
method. It imparts to the figure a slender, sloping and long- 
waist ed appearance, with the narrow look across the shoulders, 
that gives to the figure the stylish appearance found in French 
dressmaking, and is, withal, easy and comfortable to the wearer. 
Confident that the Independent Tailor System will ratify all 
merits here claimed for it, and that it will be of intrinsic worth 
to sister dressmakers, I remain, respectfully yours, 

MRS. T. E. SIPR 

Taking the Measures. 




To take the measures with the combination line, when 
there will be no chance of refitting, it is a better plan to remove 
the waist to obtain the measures, and especially where the gar- 
ment, over which the measures are to be taken, is ill-fitting and 
bungling. They should be taken with great care, drawing the 
lines to medium lightness, as a dress to fit properly should be 



neither too tight nor too loose, but press gently over every part 
For the waist, there are seven measures, and for the sleeve, five. 

Note. — The draft for the waist is called the scale, and the 
square end of the model is to be understood as the top, while the 
pointed end is the bottom. The side having the greatest number 
of figures is the right side, and is used to draft the entire front 
of waist, excepting the dart line, while the opposite side is known 
as the left side, and is used to draft the back. 

Lesson First — The Front. 




Place the model on the drafting paper, three inches from 
the front edge, and one inch from the top, with the top of the 
model to the left hand. Draw a line the length of the long 
measure as indicated by the column called "Long,"i. e. distance 
from a to b; before removing the model, locate the cross lines by 
making a dot at the numbers corresponding to the long measure 
in column, "Half of long," and "Third of long," i. e., e and g ; 
at numbers corresponding to size of neck, in columns, "Front of 
neck," make dots c and d ; one inch from the top at i, which is 



indicated on the model by the arrow, make a dot, draw the cross 
lines by placing the top of model square with the front line ; at 
b, draw a line to number corresponding to waist measure, in col- 
umn indicated by "waist,'' distance from b to h. Place the 
model at e and draw a line to number corresponding to the 
breast measure in column indicated by "breast," distance from e 
to-/; place at g and draw a line to number corresponding to 
b;*east measure in column indicated by chest, distance from g toh; 
place at i and draw a line to number corresponding to breast 
measure in column indicated by shoulder, distance from i to j ; 
draw the circle from c to d by the aid of the guide for neck ; 
draw a straight line from d to j, use the guide for the arm's eye ; 
the straight line from f to ft should be one-half inch more than the 
under-arm measure. 

Second Lesson. 




In a well proportioned figure, the bust measure is from one 
to three inches more than the breast measure. Allowance should 
be made for this extra fullness by adding to the front one-half of 
the difference in the measures and diminishing one half as much 
at the neck as is added to the front. Hence, if the difference in 



the measure is two inches, one inch should be added to the front, 
one and one-quarter of an inch below the breast line and con- 
tinued to the waist line, and the neck be diminished one-half 
inch. A "v" should be taken out halt' way between the breast 
line and dart line, one-half inch wide and three inches long, also in 
the arm's eve. This 'V should betaken out of the lining only. 
The object beino; to take up the superfluous fullness usually 
found there. The dart line should be two and one-half inches 
below breast line and six inches long, for figures of medium size; 
from six to seven inches, for the largest size. The top of the 
front dart should be three inches from the front edge and one- 
half inch below the dart line. The back dart should be three 
inches from the front dart and touching the dart line. 
For medium size, the front dart should be one and one- half 
inches from the front edge, at the waist line, and the front dart 
should be one and three-fourths ii ches w T ide. Distance between 
the darts, three-fourths on an inch, back dart, two inches wide. 
The darts can be located b} r the model, namely a b c and d. Draw 
the darts by the aid of guide for darts. The space from back 
dart to underarm piece and width of underarm \ iece should be 
equal. Remove the curves in the seams by the aid of curve for 
seams on model. 

Note. — For figures measuring, 38 breast, the dart line should 
be 6} ; for 42 it should be HJ ; for 46 it should be 6| ; for 48 it 
should be 7 inches. For 38 the distance from the front edge to 
first dart should be 1J; for 42 it should be \\ ; for 46 it should 
be If ; for 48, 2 inches. For all sizes over 38 the space between 
the darts should be one inch, but should never exceed that. 
All medium sized darts can be located at the waist line 
by the model, but for very large size where the dart line is 
seven inches long, the distance from the front edge to 
the front dart should be from one and one-half to two inches 
and space between the darts, one inch. This is necessary to 
throw the darts back as far at the waist line is at the top ; but 
they should never be more or less than one and three fourths in 
the fiont dart and two inches in the b.ick dart. The allowance 
for extra full bust being made as described in the lesson. 



Lesson Third 




In drafting the skirt of the waist, the straight edge of the 
model is used, but for the two seams over the hips, in case of full 
hips, the guide for side body in the back is used to give round- 
ing fullness. The spring at "a" should be one-half as much as 
the allowance made at the bust. If there were an allowance of 
one inch at the bust, there should be one-half inch at a. The 
distance from a to b, three inches ; in very large size, 3J. The 
line from e to c is drawn by placing the model square with dand 
e and continuing the straight line to c; distance from c to d, two 
Liches. The skirt of the back dart drawn the same as the front. 
The remainder of skirt can be drawn by following the cut. The 
point at g should be one-Lalf inch higher than the breast line, 
owing to its sloping shape, in basting it usually comes out shorter 
than the back. 

Note. — In basting, the pieces should be placed together at 
the waist line, care should be taken to have it well traced in the 



lining. The waist should be carefully basted on the traced 
lines throughout. The front of the shoulder and the front of 
neck should be well stretched before basting. No allowance for 
seam should be made in the armhole. The darts should be cut 
open before basting, owing to the curved shape of the front of 
darts. An allowance of two inches should be made on the cloth 
in the frOnt of waist, as in some cases of badly proportioned fig- 
ures the abdomen is not in proportion to the bust, and there will 
then be room to enlarge the garment at that point without alter- 
ing the shape of waist. 

Fourth Lesson—the Back. 




Place the model on the drafting paper near the edge with 
the top of model to the right hand. Draw a line the length of 
the back measure from e to/; distance from /to g, one-half inch 
more than under-arm measure ; from g to h, one-fourth of back 
measure. This distance may be found hy placing the number cor- 
responding to back measure in column indicated, "Fourth of 



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back," opposite the point at g, and making a dot at h, i should 
be in the center, between g and h. Place the model square with 
the back line at /, and draw a line to number corresponding to 
waist measure in column indicated '• Waist and breast," before 
removing the model locate the curves and dividing line by mak- 
ing dots at c d and e. Place the model square with the back 
line at g and draw a line to number corresponding to breast 
measure in column "Waist and breast" from g to k. The line 
from i to I should be one inch less than line from g to k. From 

h to m one half inch less than line from g to k; line from e to n 
can be located b\ the top of model. Draw a straight line from 
n to m, the curved line from m to & by the aid ot "Arms-eye in 
the back," straight line from k to / Take a curve out from ktoj; 
draw the line from from a to b by the aid of ''side 
form in back." Take a curve at a one-half inch wide 
the olvject to give a rounding fullness over the shoulder-blade. 
The dotted lines at this point show where allowance should be 
made, as removing the curve leaves the side form shorter thnn 
the back ; remove the slope at c and b as locateJ by the model 

Lesson Fifth. 




No explanations are necessary for drawing the skirt in the 
back, excepting the iine from a to b, which is drawn by placing 
the top of model square with the breast line at a, and 
drawing a straight line from a to b, which is five inches below 
the waist. The remainder can be drawn from the cut. 



Lesson Sixth. 




The only changes that are made in drafting for a child is 
less hip spring, as seen by the cut, and in diafting the back, the 
first line above the breast line, "or the one from i to I, as seen in 
lesson on the back," should only be one-half inch shorter than 
breast lines or line from g to k, and the line from h to m one- 
fourth inch shorter than line from g to h. Children's breast and 
waist measure should always be taken large. 



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The scale for the sleeve should be the length of the meas- 
ure from neck to waast minus the width of the shoulder, distance 
from a to b. The width of the scale should be the length of the 
measure around the arm above the elbow, distance from a to c. 
Divide the length of the scale into four parts, the top or space 
from a to d should be one-half inch shorter than the others. Ei- 
vide the width into two equal parts, distance from e to u. The 
line from h to / locates the elbow and should be in 



the center of space between q and r. The distance 
from b to g should be two inches ; from h to i, one and 
one-half inch ; from i to j, one-half inch ; from k to I, two inches, 
and the point at I one-half inch from the edg«\ Draw the circle 
from I tod, draw a curved line from d to i by the aid of "Guide 
for darts," continue the line from i to g perfectly straight, draw 
the inside line in the same manner. To regulate the width of 
the two parts of the sleeve, find the number of inches contained 
in space from d to r. The under part should be one-half inch 
less than this measurement. The point at t to be in the center 
of space between e and r and distant one-half inch less from d 
than d is from r. The distance from g to /"should be one-half 
inch less than the distance from r to s. The width of the top 
part of sleeve from m to n should be the length of the mersure 
around the arm above the elbow T , plus two inches, which is 
allowed for seams, mini s the width of the under part of sleeve 
or distance from r to s. For instance, if this measure be twelve 
inches, two inches should be added to that for seams ; if the 
measure from s to r be five inches, the width of the outside part 
from m to n would be fourteen less five, or nine inches. The 
measure at the elbow and below the elbow should be treated in 
the same way, but at the wrist as the inside part or distance from 
s to g is one-half less than the distance from s to r, instead of 
subtracting five inches from the wrist measure, subtract oniy four 
and a half. The curved line from I to n should be drawn by the 
aid of the "Side body" in back, and the line from n to o should 
be straight or nearly so. The line from o to u should be curved 
by placing the point at "Guide for darts" at n. This throws the 
deeper curve toward the elbow\ 



Rules for Dividing the Seams when the Bust 
Measure is over Thirty-Eight Inches. 




a 



d 



When this measure is over thirty-eight inches there must be an extra piece 
under the arm to give the waist a long waisted and slender appearance and the 
waist must be divided into five different parts, a b c d e, the width of the 
pieces at a, 6, c, and d should be the same width. Take out the curve in the 
seams with the aid of the guide. * 



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